No one is more aware of the dangers inherent in motor sport than the father of 18-year-old Henry Surtees, who died of head injuries suffered during a Formula Two race at Brands Hatch on Sunday.

John Surtees, a multiple champion in motorcycling before he became Formula One world champion for Ferrari in 1964, survived a period during which rivals lost their lives almost on a weekly basis. Surtees will have recognised the enormous strides in safety made in recent years just as much as he has had to accept, with terrible sadness, the freak nature of an accident that took the life of a son destined to follow in his father's footsteps.

"Henry had followed his heart from the time he first sat in a kart," said Surtees today. "He treated seriously the balance between motorsport and school, having just finished his A-Levels. The world beckoned and he was thriving on the freedom to concentrate on his motorsport. He had shown himself to be one with the possibilities of reaching the very top. Despite his young age he had shown maturity, technical understanding and speed. Most importantly he was a nice person and a loving son. He will be deeply missed."

Henry Surtees had scored his first podium finish in the first of the two races at Brands Hatch. He was in a mid-field group when a car ahead ran wide at the exit of the 120-mph Westfield Bend and slid across damp grass into a barrier. The impact plucked off a rear wheel which flew through the air and caught Surtees a glancing blow on the head as he sped by. He was knocked unconscious and his car crashed at the next corner. The race was stopped and Surtees was rushed to the medical centre, where he was stabilised before being airlifted to the Royal London hospital. He died a few hours later.

Formula Two was approved by the sport's governing body, the FIA, and introduced this year as a low-cost formula two steps away from grand prix racing. The single-seater cars were designed by the Williams F1 team to safety standards complying with the 2005 Formula One regulations. That included have raised cockpit sides to increase protection for the driver's head. MotorSport Vision (MSV), which organises the series and prepares the cars, is carrying out an investigation. Jonathan Palmer, the head of MSV, said the Williams-designed cars had wheel tethers to reduce the risk of wheels coming off. "As with F1, however, wheel tethers cannot provide an absolute guarantee that a wheel will not come off in an accident," Palmer said.The FIA said in a statement: "Following yesterday's tragic accident, the FIA extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Henry Surtees, Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."